Dear Park Avenue Christian Church Family,

Grace and peace to you.

It is both a joy and a privilege to serve as your Moderator and to share this quarterly update on the life and ministry of our beloved church.

One of the blessings of congregational life is that every few months we have the opportunity to pause, look back, and give thanks for the many ways God has been at work among us. Sometimes that work is easy to see—in joyful worship, new faces in the pews, or neighbors gathering in our building. Other times it happens more quietly through the work of committees, careful stewardship, and faithful planning. Both are holy work, and both help prepare Park Avenue Christian Church for the future God is calling us toward.

As I reflect on this quarter, what gives me the greatest hope is not simply everything we accomplished, but how those accomplishments fit together. Again and again this quarter, I saw our congregation living out its calling through worship, hospitality, justice, and service. We are strengthening our ministries, deepening our partnerships, and building the foundation needed to welcome all whom God sends our way.

Q2 at a Glance

This quarter we celebrated several important milestones in the life of our congregation:

• Worship attendance remained strong, with new visitors continuing to return.
• We celebrated a joyful Pride Sunday and a Spirit-filled Pentecost.
• The Pray Ground officially opened, making worship more welcoming for children and families.
• The Park Sets the Table expanded its impact, surpassing 400 meal kits prepared since its launch, serving three community partners, and preparing to add a fourth school this fall.
• The Ministry Council strengthened governance and stewardship by adopting new policies and beginning an independent financial audit.
• We submitted our Lilly Endowment proposal, Tarry with Me: Christian Practices for a Breathless Age, envisioning new opportunities for Christian formation with children, youth, and families.

Each of these milestones tells part of the same story: God is opening new doors for ministry, and together we are preparing faithfully to walk through them.

Worship That Welcomes

Spring carried us through the close of Lent, Holy Week, Resurrection Sunday, Mother’s Day, Pentecost, and one of our strongest Pride Sunday celebrations to date.

Every service reflected the kind of church we strive to be: rooted in the love of Christ and committed to extending that love to everyone who walks through our doors.

Pride Sunday filled the sanctuary with members, returning visitors, and first-time guests. We were blessed by the worship leadership of Kimiyah Juicy Couture Balenciaga and grateful for our partnerships with The Center and Alliance for Positive Change. The celebration continued over brunch, where old friends and new visitors shared conversation, laughter, and hospitality around the table.

Pentecost reminded us that the Holy Spirit continues to gather people across every language, culture, and difference into one community of faith. Moments like these remind us that worship is not only the heart of our life together—it is often where new relationships begin.

Investing in Children, Youth, and Families

One of the joys of this quarter was the launch of our PrayGround, made possible through a grant from the United Church of Christ. This welcoming space invites children to engage in worship in age-appropriate ways while reminding all of us that children are not simply the future of the church—they are an important part of the church today.

We also continued laying the groundwork for a renewed focus on children, youth, and families. Planning has begun for Family Day on September 20, which will be both a joyful homecoming and an opportunity to listen carefully to parents, caregivers, children, and youth about how our church can best support their faith journeys.

These conversations, together with our Lilly Endowment proposal, will help shape the future of family ministry at Park Avenue Christian Church.

The Park Sets the Table

One of the clearest expressions of our faith in action continues to be The Park Sets the Table.

Building on the momentum of last quarter’s $75,000 grant, the ministry continued expanding its reach and impact throughout the second quarter.

Since launching the initiative, members and volunteers have prepared more than 400 meal kits, providing healthy, nourishing food for our neighbors while strengthening relationships throughout our community.

 

During Q2, meal kits were distributed through three community partners: Community Health Academy of the Heights (CHAH), M.S./H.S. 223, and Nontraditional Employment for Women (NEW). This fall, we look forward to expanding the ministry by partnering with Urban Assembly Academy for Future Leaders (05M286), allowing us to reach even more students and families.

To support this continued growth, we invested in additional refrigeration and kitchen equipment, increasing our capacity to safely store food and prepare even more meal kits in the months ahead.

One of the joys of this ministry is watching members linger after worship—not because they have to, but because they want to serve together. Packing meal kits has become another form of fellowship, another way our congregation lives out the Gospel beyond Sunday morning.

Strengthening the Foundation

Not all ministry happens in the sanctuary.

Throughout the quarter, the Ministry Council continued strengthening the systems that support the life of our congregation by adopting policies regarding Good and Regular Standing, Nominations and Elections, and Restricted Funds.

As part of our commitment to faithful stewardship, the church engaged an independent firm to conduct a financial audit. While the audit is still underway, it reflects our commitment to transparency, strengthens our financial practices, and prepares Park Avenue Christian Church for future grant opportunities and continued growth.

The Lifted stewardship campaign also encouraged members and leaders to make or confirm their 2026 pledges. Faithful stewardship is one of the ways we participate in God’s work, ensuring that today’s ministry can continue to flourish tomorrow.

Much of this work happens quietly, but it creates the strong foundation upon which vibrant ministry is built.

Our Building as Ministry

Our church building continues to be more than the place where we gather each Sunday.

This spring, community partners—including the Manhattan Ballet and Movement Center—filled our space with music, dance, families, and neighbors. At the same time, our Buildings Team continued strengthening policies for rentals, building use, and long-term stewardship so that this beautiful space remains a welcoming resource for both our congregation and our community.

Every partnership, every rehearsal, every performance, and every gathering is another opportunity to extend Christ’s welcome and deepen our connection with the wider community.

Looking Ahead

One of the most significant milestones of the quarter was the submission of our Lilly Endowment proposal, Tarry with Me: Christian Practices for a Breathless Age.

The proposal seeks five years of funding beginning in 2027 to strengthen Christian formation through expanded family and youth ministry, helping people develop spiritual practices that nurture resilience, belonging, and faithful discipleship in an increasingly demanding world.

Whether or not the proposal is funded, the process itself has already been a gift. It has sharpened our vision, strengthened our planning, and helped us imagine new possibilities for the future of Park Avenue Christian Church.

We expect to hear from the Lilly Endowment in December and ask for your continued prayers as we await that decision.

Looking Forward Together

As I look back on this quarter, I cannot help but feel grateful—for God’s faithfulness and for yours.

Thank you for every prayer offered, every volunteer hour given, every pledge made, every meal kit packed, every visitor welcomed, and every act of kindness shown. Ministry is never the work of one person or one committee. It is the shared work of a congregation seeking to follow Christ with courage, compassion, and love.

As we move into the months ahead, I invite you to continue worshiping faithfully, praying for our Lilly Endowment proposal, joining us for Family Day on September 20, and, if you have not already done so, making or confirming your 2026 pledge.

I truly believe God is preparing Park Avenue Christian Church for an exciting new season of ministry. My prayer is that we will continue to meet that future with open hearts, generous spirits, and the confidence that the One who has begun this good work among us will continue to guide and sustain us.

With gratitude and hope,

Vanessa Lindley
Moderator, Park Avenue Christian Church 
In the City of New York